The Gift of Love - Max Part 1
by Awatere11
Summary: Ianto did something out of love...maybe it was love for Lisa but like any gift ... it can keep on giving. What has he done! He doesn't even fully understand himself how it could have come to this. Some Alien Hunter is killing children and the only link with the victims is Ianto. Jack is sure he was having affairs...iroinc yeah? Can they sort this? Love my Crumbly ..Alt Verse
1. Chapter 1

1

This is how these things start around here … down time.

A lull in the Rift when people start getting comfortable. Not a good thing, always seem to encourage the Gods to shit on me from a great height. This? No exception … I will always be the statue won't I … never the lofty pigeon.

Here I was minding my own business, filing paperwork when Owen lets out one of those whoops he does when he has either bested his own highest score or he has found a project in the smatterings of e-mails from colleagues.

"JACK!"

Yeah, judging from the high pitched shriek, he found something. Like … oh well. It's something right? I wander over to have a look, then as Jack reaches the huddle forming I get this….this feeling of doom.

I turn to face him and wonder if my sixth sense is trying to tell me something, the desire to flee immense but I don't know why.

Whatever this is … somehow I know it is not something I am going to like.

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"We got us a live one!" Owen yelled, looking up at the team as they walked over to listen, Ianto unusually solemn as he frowned and let Jack move ahead of him. Then Owen watched as Jack shifted on his feet to include Ianto in the huddle, automatically making room for him.

Since he had come back from … wherever the fuck he went, he has done thing like that. Like … why doesn't he just piss on his leg or something, just because they are shagging doesn't mean the Tea Boy should automatically get privileges right? I mean … ok, so we gave him a gun. He isn't too bad ya know. Not that Owen would EVER ay it out loud but he was actually starting to like the man who had finally stopped hiding himself. That time while Jack had been away with his Doctor had changed all of them.

"Owen?" Tosh asked softly, her head canting to the side, "I have left an algorithm forming… what is it?"

"We got two suspicious deaths. A mauling with bites inconsistent with a dog not of any known breed. At first I thought it was a Weevil then I saw that the two kids lived in different parts of the city. Unrelated, Weevil don't travel across the city like that. They have defined patches" Owen seemed to be holding on to something with extra glee and Ianto frowned as he wondered why he kept glancing at him.

"OK, so what do you think it is then?" Gwen asked, leaning in to look at the files on his screen, "Bloody hell. Looks like they went through a thresher machine or something."

"Yeah right?" Owen was gleeful now as he jiggled in the seat, trying to keep the best bit for last, glancing again at Ianto then he tapped his keyboard and the two files that were side by side changed to show the two children as they looked pre-thresher, "We have Lauren aged five and Gorich aged three and a half. Both sides of wounds that are identical, different places, different times, nothing to tie them together other than the attacks right?"

"Were did they happen?" Jack asked as he looked at the little boy, something in the boy's eyes familiar.

"The boy was attacked in his own back yard over in 'Moneyville'" Owen said using the common name for the opulent side of town, then added "The girl was at school playing on morning break. This is the best part … three friends all saw the thing, drew pictures for London's finest"

Owen tapped the screen and the pictures shrank so three others could fill the screen. Scribbles of something large and black, fuzzy.

"They look like … bears" Gwen squinted, "What did they say?"

"That" Owen was smug, one more glance at Ianto before he couldn't help it anymore and he took a deep breath, "But there is a clanger. The children are related. Both have the same biological father. I checked the DNA three times to be sure."

"And?" Jack said with dread, Owen's glee not something to be overlooked as Gwen sighed at the pictures of the poor babies.

"Even though the families do not know one another and I can find no common link … both children have the same Tad. Birth Certificates do not list him, they list the stepfather who raised them as their father, seems from pictures in their Social media files the two couples were in committed marriages before during and after the pregnancies. Cuckoos all the same though."

"Owen, just say it. Whatever is pleasing you this much when it involves the death of two little babies cannot be good" Gwen had finally noticed his glee and was now annoyed beyond words that he was overlooking the fact two sweet innocent lives had been killed by something.

"They both match one of us!" Owen was triumphant as he looked around, "And it's not me!"

Jack looked at the photos more closely, "Well … neither woman rings a bell for me wither."

Ianto stood silently, with confusion, "Well … Owen. I'm confused, are you telling me one of the girls is secretly a man or something?"

"Nope" Owen folded his arms as he looked Ianto in the eye, "Both of them are yours mate!"

Ianto's face paled as he stared at Owen and snarled, "Not funny. This is not a joke, children are dead and you want to turn it into some prank?"

Owen's smile faded as his feet slid from the desk to the floor "You didn't know?"

"He's serious" Jack turned to face Ianto, "I know Owen. He is serious, those children are yours. Care to explain?"

"What?" Ianto spluttered, "Jack ... they are not mine!"

"Owen, send the DNA results to my office, Ianto get up there and we will look together!"

This didn't make sense to any of them.


	2. Chapter 2

2

I am in shock, I tell ya. I don't know why or how Owen did this but right now all I can see is Jack's annoyance. I don't know what is worse.

Owen's prank that is in such shitty taste or the fact Jack seems to believe it.

"Jack … when would I have the time to sow my seed about the place, eh? Come on … this doesn't make any sense to me either!" I hope he will stop pacing and face me, listen and try to figure it out but as I watch his eyes slide restlessly around the room I realise with a sinking heart we are reverting back to the trust issues of before.

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"I want you to look at the results and tell me it's not real then" Jack pointed at the screen as Ianto flapped his arms in the universal sigh for confusion.

"I don't know what to tell you!"

"TELL ME SOMETHING!" Jack roared, his flaring temper startling Gwen in the doorway of the office.

"Sorry .. didn't mean to interrupt … I think .. .I think we have a third one" she said softly, her eyes flitting between men.

"This man's love-child or third fatality" Jack demanded, "Ianto? How many more you got secreted away? Come on … let's go see which one."

Jack pushed past Gwen and angrily stormed down as Ianto followed morosely, Gwen taking a moment to pat his shoulder in support as she also tried to understand. She wouldn't have taken Ianto for a Wham-Bam-Thank-You-Ma'am kinda guy and his pallid face told her he was not only confused, he felt physically ill.

"Right. Third victim, same injuries. Thresher." Owen said as he tapped the screen and a young girl appeared, "Morwen, almost five. She was found in her bedroom by the bed, the window open and the blood smears show whatever did it escaped the same way it got in. Her dog have been asleep on the bed, tried to defend her and was killed as well. Parents never heard a thing, woke this morning to find her like that."

Owen tapped the screen and image after image appeared of a mess that had once been a little girl, the last one on the screen making Ianto step forward with surprise, "Mica."

"Mica?" Owen asked.

"My … my niece. Mica, she looks like her. A bit bigger mind ... Mica is only a little mite. Did you do DNA yet? Is she mine too?" Ianto asked softly, wonderment as he looked into his own eyes on the screen. No doubt. He knew this was his too as he whispered "How the hell is this possible?"

"Yeah. The other two … you must have been boning both those mamas too. Did Lisa know?" Jack asked with syrupy sweetness, "All that shit you gave me about sleeping around, wanting a monogamous relationship, telling me you don't share and all this time … you have been a player yourself!"

"Jack, get your head out of your arse" Gwen hissed, "I don't think you've got the right end of the stick. Something weird is happening here and Ianto has no idea how either!"

"Yep!" Owen confirmed with a frown, "She's yours too. Shit. Ianto … ideas?"

Ianto shook his head then made a noise in his throat, "Shit. Wait. Gotta check something. Give me their names again, I need … shit."

Ianto took off for his work station and Jack followed sliding between him and the keyboard, "So now you got an idea? Something jogged in that brain of yours? That edidic memory that never forgets each time you saw me flirt with someone else? Ianto? Come on. Share with all of us … how many more?"

Ianto stared at Jack and then motioned him aside, started tapping at the keyboard and Jack walked over to Owen dismissing Ianto, "OK. Let's look at what we have. It can open windows … not Weevil."

"No … I said that already" Owen rolled his eyes and swung in his chair, "It's clever, quiet and seems to really like the taste of Ianto. I don't know how it's finding the kids, how it knows they are his or why it's being so nasty about it"

Toshiko was following the screens Ianto was opening and her eyes widened as suddenly pictures appeared of more children. Four more smiling faces with those eyes, Ianto stopping the frantic tapping to cure softly, the three girls and one little boy unmistakably related. Their little button noses and stern blue eyes the spitting image. Then another popped up as they all watched another boy.

"Oh god, Ianto … what did you do" Tosh sighed as she stared at the youngest one, not even two years old, "This is … you were working here. How could you even find time … I mean … this one's conception must have been post Lisa. You were cheating on Jack even then?"

Ianto's face showed his hurt as Jack snorted, "Thanks Tosh. Good question."

"Because I didn't" Ianto snarled as he turned to storm off to the kitchen.

"Really?" Owen said softly to Jack, "You have no idea how many people he's screwing on the side? Too busy keeping your own in check?"

"Shut up Owen!"


	3. Chapter 3

3

I can't breathe. Those poor little souls, the perfect little promises of life…snuffed out. Gods, can't the team take a breath and see that there is a world outside this place? My Gods! They could have been artists … teachers… parents themselves one day. Gone.

 _Focus, shake out of this funk._

 _Grieve later._

I can't work it out, why something out there has a click on my DNA and it's insane to think it can just smell out my offspring like this. Shit, it was so long ago I had forgotten. Like, honestly forgotten what I had even done.

I didn't know sperm could be kept this long but there ya go.

What goes around comes around I guess.

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Ianto was shakily making himself a cuppa but his hands were shaking so much that he kept spilling the sugar, finally cursing as he swept the entire thing into the sink, the cup clattering to the bottom with a loud thud.

"When he was away you said you felt like he had betrayed you" Tosh said angrily, "But now I find … Ianto. There was another one, I clicked and it came up. A baby. She is lovely, looks to be about six months old. How could you! Jack has openly showing affection, something he does not do. Do you have any idea what it costs him to care for someone?"

Ianto turned to face her and gaped, "What? You've come back here to have a go at me? Really? You think … I see. You believe I fathered those children via torrid love affairs …or one night stands? Maybe I am a part time gigolo on my spare time and hire myself out for special occasions, extra if ya want it unprotected. Right? That's what you are saying. These are mine so I must be a man-whore. Right?"

Tosh opened and closed her mouth.

"Deuce Bigolo, male gigolo at your service." Ianto swept his arm as he bowed, the theatrical flapping stilted, showing his extreme anger, "Well you know what? Fuck you too. Jesus, something is killing kids and all you seem to focus on is how horrible I am for betraying Jack. You never once tried to understand how these kids are mine, how anything happened … how this thing knows … no. Your focus is my betrayal."

"Ianto…I …" Toshiko reached for his arm, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…."

Ianto slid past her and out into the main Hub where the pictures of the children were on the big screen, the baby so sweet that Ianto paused and smiled softly before looking over at Jack.

"Once we know where they are … we might know how it's finding them" Jack said with that forced grunting he does when pissed, his teeth flashing at Ianto who stared back calmly.

"Well … this one is mixed race" Owen pointed to one with lovely tanned skin and brown eyes, even if they were shaped like Ianto's, "I mean … Lisa was black right? You like a bit of racial equality there governor?"

Ianto sighed, "It probably found them the same way I did."

"What … a dating app?" Owen asked, then sniggered as Jack turned to storm off no doubt to the shooting range to cool off.

"Gwen" Ianto turned to her, "The common factor here is…"

"You really did" she interrupted. "You cheated in him with all these women. Since coming back he has tried so hard … Ianto … are there more?"

"Probably" Ianto nodded calmly his own anger there now, "I've not checked all the files."

"files?" Tosh frowned as she caught the word that seemed out of place. "Files? Why have files on children like that."

"Owen, what killed them. Any idea past the fact they are mine?" Ianto dismissed the women and turned to Owen who was actually working.

"Well … Horix? I don't know … the stealth and ability to infiltrate shows extreme intelligence. The pictures the kids did shows it is definitely not human. Like .., ape or Bigfoot material. I would go for some alien species. Who have you pissed off lately?" Owen asked as he clicked for a close up of a little girl's neck, the slashes so deep you could see her spinal cord.

"Shit" Ianto sighed as he rubbed his face, "So … it will keep going until it either finds me or wipes them all out."

"Yeah. Like the Terminator … wiping out a gene pool" Owen nodded, "Your niece really your niece, not another one? How close is the DNA?"

Owen swung in the chair to look at Ianto how Ianto paled so much he seemed to ghost for a second, the realisation that she might have a close enough DNA match to attract whatever it was making him reach for the phone.

"Rhiannon? Hey. Yes. I know. I know. Sorry. Yeah. I know. Is Mimi on her school camp in the Barrens this week? Yeah? Good, glad she liked it. No, I didn't get a saleswoman to help choose the sleeping bag I did remember her liking for purple … yeah. OK. Hi Dave. Yes. I will. A blue one? Really?" Ianto grimaced, "OK buddy. Tell you what I will transfer some dosh into your card now … you go buy it with your Da."

He closed the phone and stared at it for a while.

"Mica is on camp, Dave is at home and fine. Wants a bloody bike helmet" Ianto muttered, tapping his hone to send the money as promised, "Christ. These kids suck you dry."

"He yours too?" Jack barked from behind them and Ianto swung with confusion. "Well? Dave? Who's he then!"

Ianto let his face school into one of extreme boredom, "My nephew. My sister's boy. You know … my sister. Rhiannon, told you about her. That no secrets thing I seem so shitty at sticking to? Rhiannon's, Mica and David. David. Dave."

"Oh" Jack said softly as he looked at the screen and the baby stared back, "So … yours?"

Ianto turned and left the room, his anger thrumming.


	4. Chapter 4

4

None of them will help me. Something is killing them, another one in danger as we sit here on our fucking hands and all they want to do is play the blame game. If one of them would shut up for five fucking seconds I might be able to explain but … I see now things have not changed. Not really.

I am still the one hiding things, still the one not to be trusted.

It's a wonder they don't do a sweep of the lower levels for another Cyberman.

Maybe Tosh is.

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"Ianto?"

Ianto turned from his musings to find Gwen there hesitantly sliding around the doorframe to enter his private space, "Are you OK pet?"

"No. I just found out I am the sperm donor for all those kids, something is killing them off and no one seems to care" Ianto huffed, "Even you, the bleeding heart of Torchwood. Do you care? Someone is killing children? Even if they are mine … they don't deserve that."

Gwen frowned, "Sperm donor?"

"They paid" Ianto chuffed, "Why I knew where the clinic was where Carys worked. I sold blood sometimes too. Lisa was expensive to please."

Gwen blinked, "So … that's how you found them. You went through your file at the clinic and looked for who your sperm had been used by. Oh my god. You are a sperm donor."

"Was" Ianto corrected as he paced, "All before Jack. They can freeze it ya know. Keep it for years. Shit, I had no idea they were still using it. That baby was…. Gods. I think there might be more, I was doing it for a long time, well me and Lisa… well. Since I turned 21 and could. David was from a donor, Johnny unable. Rhiannon's joy showed me there were women who needed help. I began to do what I could, the money was welcome as Lisa and I met and started to play house. Then … the Tower fell and I came here. Left it all behind."

"So … you've not done it since starting here?" Gwen asked.

"No. It's been at least … three years since I last donated. These children are from previous donations, obviously!" Ianto sank into a chair, "Those poor families. Trying so hard for a child, god only knows the cost alone … the failures before one finally sticks. Only to lose it now because of me. Somehow, it's because of me, right?

"Well ... it does seem the only connection they all have sweetie" Gwen leaned against the desk, "We need to go through the clinic's files, get all of the babies. Check their whereabouts and then see if this thing has a pattern. Something we can use to track it."

Ianto was already doing it in the back of his mind, a map of London flashing as the murder scenes repeated in his head. There was a pattern. It seemed to be going in alphabetical order of surname…shit.

Ianto pulled over a tablet and tapped in the links, then started to search as Gwen settled next to him with a pen and paper.

"Alphabetical?" she asked as she saw the list forming.

"Anderson, Baxter, Beasley, Carrington, Ferguson … yeah. It's going in alphabetical order." Ianto said as he slumped with open relief, "My sister is Davies. If it was going on DNA scenting alone they would have been targeted before the Ferguson child. So … seems likely it accessed these records same as us, right? If so … the Grants are next."

"But why" Gwen asked with confusion, "What purpose?"

"Terminator theory like Owen said" Ianto said as he rose, "It is trying to take out my bloodline… or me. It was given my DNA and sent on a search and destroy mission? One of these children is something, becomes something and they don't know which one so they will kill them all to be sure? I don't know Gwen. All I know is that statistically this little boy will be next."

"Should we tell Jack?"

"Do you think he wants to listen? You saw his reaction to all of this. He needs to focus and see how stupid he is being, right now he can't hear what I have to say. Bedsides … they are here in Cardiff. Moved here last year when she fell pregnant again to be close to her family. She's Welsh like us. It's here. Not in London any more. You want it here?" Ianto was pulling out of a secure lockbox and Gwen felt herself changing her stance to follow him.

He was right.

Something was here and they needed to act now. Babies for fucksake!

"You have an address?" she asked as he reached in for a weapon as well, "I will call him on the way. He can listen or hang up but we will at least be doing something."

"OK" Ianto strode towards the lift and she followed, her heart pounding as things settled into something recognisable. Ianto had not been unfaithful. He had been righteous. These babies were loved, wanted and hard fought for.

She would fight for them now.


	5. Chapter 5

5

"Jack, you aren't listening" Gwen said with her usual snarl, "We know where the next one will happen, we did not need an algorithm or whatever. It's alphabetical. We are on the way there now."

Ianto swung around the corner and cursed, Heddlu already there and people were swarming the street. Ianto parked. Gwen got out and stomped over, her Heddlu walk recognised by the others like wolves welcoming anther back to the pack, she talked to them and came back grim faced.

"He's missing" she said as she slumped, "Snatched from the front yard while the mother was weeding next to him. She turned around and he was gone"

"Damn it" Ianto groaned as he rubbed his face, then a knocking at the window had him turning to look at a badge.

"Can you step out of the car please sir?"

Ianto lifted his own badge to the window "No, jog on will ya!"

"Ianto!" Gwen gasped with fake horror, "I never thought I would see the day, you…rude."

"Well … I don't have time for this and he's so young the parents might recognise me from the Donor file. Next thing ya know I am being accused of abducting him or something"

Gwen blinked, "Shit. They would think that."

"well … he's gone. Next … are H? There were the Harveys? Right?" Ianto canted his head, "Got the file there?"

They took off as the Torchwood SUV prowled past, the drivers of the two vehicles making eye contact briefly before Ianto blanched and looked away, Jack's surprise evident as he stared back at him.

"I don't know. Is this a futile thing? Should we go a couple down the list?" Gwen uttered then slapped the hand over her mouth, "I can't believe I just said that. That's … horrible."

"Thinking logically, that's all. This job does that to you" Ianto assured her, "The fact you heard yourself and corrected means you are not a lost cause yet."

"So … you and Lisa were not going to … well, do the family thing?" she asked as they sped along, trying to ignore the black SUV following on their arse. Ianto thought about that question knowing Gwen was genuinely interested, not just fishing.

"In the beginning I thought .. .like … imagined our own little man. Even had a name picked out" Ianto smiled softly.

"What name?"

"Walter. I liked Walter but she wanted Dylan. If a girl we considered Angel and Chrystal. I liked Jasmine too" Ianto smiled softly.

"Anwen, I always liked that for a girl. Maybe Sean or Gorwin for a boy" Gwen laughed, "I've had them in my brain for almost forever."

"Yeah. Funny, I see you with a little girl. Solid like Rhys but your face" Ianto swung the wheel and pulled to a stop, "right, they live on the tenth floor of this tower."

"A tower" Gwen looked up as she grimaced, both of them entering the grimy doors "Bloody stairs."

"Well, we can always reverse things. Why go up all those stairs when we can get them all to come down to us?" Ianto asked as he calmly walked over to the fire alarm and tapped the glass with his gun's butt, breaking it then he pulled down the handle to start the fun.

The noise was loud, tinny and crap but it seemed to work as people poured out, Ianto watching the crowd then frowning, "They're not here."

"Maybe they weren't home" Gwen said, then caught a fleeing mother with a child on her hip "Excuse me pet, are the Harvey's here or at work?"

The woman looked around, "They should be down here with us, they had their little one home today with the flu going around"

Ianto was already moving for the stairs, his stun gun exchanged for something more comfortable as he took the stairs two at a time, his training kicking in as he let himself breath calmly, even as he pumped his legs like a traction engine. The faint sound of screaching tyres outside heralded the arrival of the others.

Gwen was following, her panting loud as she complained and then she noises grew fainter as he lengthened the distance between them, slamming into the apartment he knew was that if his child, the body on the floor not welcome. Not welcome at all.

A woman, the mother was lying with an arm outstretched like she was reaching for something and Ianto knew the room she seemed to be trying to crawl to once upon a time, before her skull was crushed held something important.

He took a moment and told himself the little open was dead. Already dead. All dead. Calm down, take your time. It doesn't matter now.

He stepped into the room and saw the huge creature standing g over a man who was silently screaming with pain, his left arm torn from his shoulder like a doll's, the blood splatter covering the walls as he writhed.

Ianto raised the weapon and fired, measuring each shot as the creature howled and swung at him, missing as he popped down, then shot to one side before it could recover from the swing, firing once more into the back of its knee.

Then a sound stopped Ianto's heart.

A little sob from behind the sofa.

The boy.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Fuck, fuck.

Think.

I don't know what the hell I am doing!

I am saving him.

YES

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Ianto didn't know if the boy was hurt or just afraid but the noise was enough to urge him into top gear, now dropping to his hands like a gridiron player going after the ball carrier and he headed straight for the thing's un-damaged leg as it howled.

Then gunfire as Ianto rolled with it, claws biting into his clothing, skin, flesh … anger button.

Ianto roared louder than the creature as he got a leg hold around its massive neck, grabbing his own ankle as he started to choke it out, the scrabbling and wresting not unlike riding a bucking bronco. More gunfire and Ianto vaguely recognised the Webley barking as Jack stormed in, Gwen now running for the sofa and the child hidden behind it.

Ianto saw her running from the room, the little one in her arms and put more energy into putting down the creature, Owen's voice distantly filtering through the noise as he plunged something into it that made it scream, then rear up.

Ianto broke his hold and cursed as he was thrown back against Jack, then the creature slammed through the wall. Ianto now knew whatever its purpose, it was not to take out Ianto's DNA … it didn't even register him.

"The kids" Ianto gasped as he struggled from Jack's arms, "Its targeting all the kids, must be the ages. It didn't even hesitate, must know I am their parental but … I'm not a target."

They ran in to find Owen hugging the child, shielding it with his body as Gwen screamed, kneeling as she fired over his bowed head, the Creature screaming as well while slapping at the air around its head.

Gwen's bullets were pissing it off.

Ianto took a moment to consider choices, Jack reloading and entering the fray.

Then a banshee roar filled the apartment as Ianto ran from the kitchen area with a butcher's knife held high over his head, the creature struggling to raise it's arm to deflect and the other blade by Ianto's hip swung up in an arc slicing into its armpit, followed by Ianto who threw his weight behind it.

The satisfying crunching noise of knife hitting bone made him snarl, then the creature was gone smashing out the large windows and disappearing into the darkness.

"Fuck" Own said after a beat of shock, "It's ten stories up right?"

"Terminator" Ianto panted "It will probably make another pass."

"Or skip this one and come back after it's gone through the alphabet like that Final Destination series" Gwen added while wiping blood off her face, "You got it good. Stuck it good."

"But it still runs" Ianto sighed as he slumped against the wall, "Why does it feel like Owen jinxed us with that terminology of the Terminator when all this started?"

"Ianto?" Gwen asked as she watched him slide down the wall, finally seeing that some blood was still smearing on the wall from his clothing, "Oh my god, it got you?"

"Not to worry. Not like it is an important member of the team right?"Ianto sighed as his head fell back, "When we were in the Himalayas looking for that Yeti … remember when I pulled PJs out of my backpack and you asked if I was even human?"

"We should never have gone on that trek, I should have told the PM to shove it up his blonde arse" she said as she crouched to reach for him.

"Me Mam used to ask the same question. She would look into my face and ask that like I was somehow created for her amusement. 'Ianto' she would say 'are you even human?' then she would snort and take another drink of wine. She drank ya see, after Da left. Hung herself." Ianto was rambling but didn't care as he sighed again, "The boy, forget his name, is he OK?"

"Max" Gwen supplied, Maxwell Harvey and he's fine."

"Good. Good. I'm not."

"The father just bled out" Jack squatted beside Gwen and looked into Ianto's face, "Are you alright?"

"What do you care. Never even took me on that date ya promised me, even the weevil hunts are boring now" Ianto slurred, blinking owlishly at him, "I'm not. OK, ya see? Not. My offspring are good enough to send a killer after with strict protocols but me … the architect of said children doesn't even rate a proper killing myself. Typical really. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Not that I would wear a veil or nothing. A white suit maybe…a little bit of colour."

"Come on" Jack lifted Ianto to a standing position, staggering to Owen with him and the acrid doctor frowned.

"Bang ya head?"

"Yes."

"Against what?" Owen demanded as he shone a penlight into Ianto's eyes.

"Well … I think it was that Yeti you shat all over in Tibet … or maybe a cousin … cousin IT on steroids?"

"You are a funny bugger when concussed, look. That Yeti wasn't real ... it was just a bloody Borrifen remember? We vaporized it when we found it eating a Yak thing." Owen said calmly as he prodded at Ianto's ribs.

"Oh yeah. But you did shit on it"

"I was pissing not shitting and didn't know it was on the ice shelf below us. Lucky hit!" Owen snorted with amusement, "Come on. Let's go back to base and consider things."

"What about Max?" Gwen asked, "It will come back for him, right?"

"Bring him with" Jack shrugged as he led Ianto to the SUV and motioned for Owen to drive the other one, "Why not."


	7. Chapter 7

7

He looks like me. Like … a mix of me and something else, he is smaller sort of … elfin. His ears are not mine, they have longer lobes and his eyes are a shade darker, closer to Jack's than mine. Of course that has me thinking of Jack and I have to stop the examination of the child. Blonde, almost white hair. A little old man.

Max.

What sort of name is that? Maximillion? Or Maxwell. I mean … if there had to be a choice I know which I would have chosen … Maxwell is…is… not me.

Not that it's any of my business, not like he's really mine. I was just a donor. Those who loved him are gone. Dead. I just hope Toshiko can find some next of kin to offload him before I start worrying about him. Dangerous, worrying about someone.

Look what that cost me last time.

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"Right, Owen and Gwen are rounding up the other families. Toshiko, make sure they remember the rules here I don't want a mass Recon event if I can avoid it, not with kids involved. How many are there now you've gone through all the records?" Jack was sounding authorative, speaking calmly and rocking on the balls of his feet but inside there was turmoil as he watched Ianto sit on the ratty old sofa with his miniature doppelganger, each looking closely at the otheir twin as they regarded one another.

"The safe house in Kent is the best, large and roomy. I feel it's the best one" she said.

"Yeah, all your eggs in one basket" Ianto muttered, "Great idea."

Jack caught it, his hearing more advanced than that of a mere human and he hesitated as he considered the comment and knew Ianto was right. It that thing was still alive, and it probably was, this would be…oooooo.

Ianto was rising for the sofa like he had the same idea, swinging to face Jack and Jack's pondering faded away as Ianto stared into his eyes and whispered "Honey trap?"

"I was thinking the same thing" he admitted.

"We need Bertha"

Jack grunted at the mention of his pulse cannon and nodded again, Ianto was right. That thing was relentless, would not stop until it had achieved its goal. Cut off its limbs and it would still roll. Gotta punch a hole in its head or heart …. Or both.

"We will go start setting sensors" Jack said as he turned to grab a pen and paper, wanting a list. Ianto had done that, introduced lists into his life and he had never known how satisfying it could be to write something out and see it materialise.

"What about….the boy?" Ianto glanced back, "Tosh? You found someone who will take him after this?"

"Looking" she replied softly, still embarrassed about the earlier comments she had made in anger. She now knew how wrong she had been and hoped to apologise when he was ready to hear it. She now knew Ianto and could read him pretty good. Their time in the Alps helped with that. He was not ready to listen yet, would walk away.

He had last time.

"So, we take him with. We put him in the safe house with all the others. More than enough parentals there, maybe someone will take a liking to him" Jack suggested and Ianto's face flared with annoyance.

"He's not a puppy Jack!"

Jack hesitated, the use of his first name a warning. Ianto was starting to feel overwhelmed and had it not been for their discomfit he would have led him away for a small pep talk and a cuddle. An apology maybe…Ianto knows he hates giving those. He now knew this was impossible, any chance of that gone as Ianto stormed off for the archives, the list snatched from Jack's had like it was his and Jack had stolen it.

"It will take a while" Tosh said with a sigh, "He's still stinging."

"Yeah. You OK watching him? I'll go get the sensors and such for the extra security" Jack wandered off and Tosh looked over at the little boy still sitting on the sofa with huge eyes. Max. He looked to be five? Six? She pulled up the file and saw that he was the fourth attempt, their last chance. Expensive. God. She sighed and looked again, then groaned as the bare sofa mocked her.

"Max?" he rose and looked around, then cursed in Japanese before storming for the kitchen. He was probably there right?

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Ianto was walking through the lower levels with a hover board, loading it up with things on the list…some not…still contemplating the weirdness of a small him, the feels … such strong feelings when faced with a child that was of his elk. Ianto paused and looked at his feet as he scolded himself and told himself this was not his child, it was someone else's. He was just the donor. Like … like … selling a second-hand car or book. Not his.

Then he looked up and watched his old second hand book step up to Janet's cell and pat the glass.

FUCK


	8. Chapter 8

8

It is DNA coded, the lock. Is he close enough to me to open it? What if he does? Will she hurt him?

Funny how time can slow down, the few short metres I have to run seem a bloody footy field before I get to him, his face so innocent, his little fingers almost to the touch pad.

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Ianto ran, scooping the child up as Janet slammed into the glass and howled. Ianto knew she wanted to see and cursed again as he placed the child back on his feet and knelt to scold, "I told you to stay up there. This was very naughty!"

"What is it?"

"It's a Janet" Ianto replied, "She is something called a Weevil. Like … a wild animal from somewhere far away. She is stuck here and we have to keep her locked up so she doesn't accidentally hurt someone or get hit by a car or something."

Max stepped up to the glass again and Janet groaned as she fell to her knees and rubbed her face on the glass, the little one exciting her.

"Like a bad doggie?" Max asked "My friend Roddy had a bad doggie. It bit his face and made a big scar. Roddy's Tadda made the men take it away."

"Yes" Ianto said softly, his hands around the little waist to centre the child, "Like a bad doggie but she's not really bad. Just … dumb. Doesn't know what is good or bad and sometimes does bad things. That's all. She is not evil, just … impulsive."

"Impulsive."

"That means…."

"Acts without forethought or consideration of consequences" Max said in his little sing-song voice as Ianto's mouth went dry. Gods, the little fella even has his mind. Shit, shit, shit.

"Those are some big words there soldier"

Ianto looked at Jack who was standing in the doorway, "You know … aunty Tosh is having kittens looking for you."

"Sorry sir" the little one smiled and Jack saw the tiny teeth flashing "I wanted to pee-pee."

"Come on, I'll take you" Ianto rose and offered his hand like he does for Mica and David, the warm one slipping into it almost familiar. "You know … this is a really big place and if you got lost you might have to eat a shoe or something to survive. Best you stick to the levels with the bright lights, we know those ones best. Even I get lost down here."

"True, I've lived here for over a hundred years and get stuck down here. Just last week I had to eat my braces" Jack joked as he walked with them, the little giggle sweet in the semi-darkness, "Sort of like spaghetti once it's boiled too long"

"You need only boil it until it sticks" the child said with big eyes, "I like perscetti"

Jack melted at the mispronunciation of the word and grinned "Me too. With meatballs. Don't get those little sausages, they are just weird."

"Yeah. Meatballs and sauce"

Ianto took the little boy in and then retreated to stand with Jack outside the door. Jack looked around, "I didn't know there was a bathroom here"

"Well … I do clean them all" Ianto said in a droll tone.

"Ianto … Tosh is looking. There must be family to take him in, I didn't mean to sound flippant about him earlier. It is just sometimes easier to distance yourself" Jack whispered.

"I know. Bit late when he already knows what smile works best and has shown me my own mind. Clever little man, I bet he even knows what is happening" Ianto looked at his feet, a habit that was employed when he included rub the back of his neck like he preferred to do. The dust and murk on his hands forcing him to place them in his pockets instead.

"I think he knows they are gone too" Jack agreed, "But we have no time for tears. You understand that, you know the lost of a parental when still a child. He will hold it in until bedtime probably."

"Did you?"

Jack swung to answer but Ianto was walking away with the little boy running after him to slip his hand into Ianto's once more.

Jones-hit-and-run strikes again.

Bringing Gray into it. Jack wondered when he had told him about him then remembered John was good as goading and prodding, probably told Ianto to get a rise out of him. Did he? Ianto never said what had happened between him and the other man, but Jack knew something had. Something intense as he was the only team member John did not harm. Almost… liked. For that, Ianto must have challenged him somehow. Scared him a little.

Jack followed them up and watched Tosh's relief as she raced to hug the child and scold in Japanese, his answer in the same language making Ianto bark with laughter.

"You … you speak Japanese?" she blinked

"I speak four languages" the little one informed her, "But I still don't like Russian much."

"Well there ya go" Jack said with wonder, "Even a blind man can see he is yours. Even has your snark."

Ianto glanced over at the same time the child did.

"So … are you my real Taddy then?" Max asked as Ianto paled, "Is that why we look the same? I didn't look like mama or Daddy. They made me. Did they make me from you?"

"Holy shit" Owen said from the entrance doors, "He is Ianto down to the cutting questions"

Ianto sighed and let his hand slide to the back of his neck, germs be damned.


	9. Chapter 9

9

He looks like me, talks like me and I sense that same fear in his gut I had as a small child trying to dumb myself down so the Grups didn't freak out. Gods, are all the other kids like me too? As I sit here and go over the files I wonder.

Is it a sea of Iantos at the Safe House?

Like Minions but … droll?

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Owen headed for the Safe House with Gwen and the boy, little Max eager to see the other children and Ianto was relieved that was not his problem anymore…well…for now.

He was double checking when he felt a cold knife of dread, "I found another one."

"Where?" Jack bounced over. Funny how he calls Ianto Tiger when his is the Tigger of the group? Owen is Eeyore … definitely Eeyore. Ianto pondered if he was Rabbit or Pigglet?

"Ianto?"

Ianto realised he was wool gathering and smiled apologetically, his pain meds numbing him a bit and he tapped the screen "This little girl was killed two days ago, not much left. They put it down to a pack of dogs. Thing is ...she's not mine. Not my DNA. The family did use me for the first one but not the second. First one failed so they decided on a fresh donor as well as fresh eggs."

"So. Whatever database or whatever it is using … it's outdated?" Jack frowned, "Or it simply pulled all families attached to your name regardless."

"Or it's not just Ianto. I found another. Ianto is not attached in any way, a different donor. Might be the clinic that is the denominator, not Ianto at all" Tosh called out, Ianto not sure if it was a relief or extra horror to find it was not his fault this was happening after all.

"So. We can't round them all up" Jack huffed. "Hundreds of families over the last ten years of this place's operation."

"Subsection G of the Agent Code 55033-21B states that an agent can request protection for next of kin in a time of crisis" Ianto said quickly, surprising Jack who swung to face him.

"Really?"

"We can't save them all, that's true. But I can cave the ones we have." Ianto said firmly, folding his arms, "Once Gwen gets wind of others she will be off on one. Let her take the Heddlu side of it, I know Kathy will be too busy swigging her dick about to care."

"Ianto Jones. You just said Dick!" Jack gasped theatrically, his hand to his heart.

Despite his anger still, he found a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth in response and Ianto turned away.

Jack caught it and hid his own smile of relief that there was a slight thaw. Ianto was right, that promised date never eventuated, Gwen's wedding was a bloody farce and really … Ianto had been Golden.

"Right, Ianto is right. As those children already in the Safe House are his by DNA, he does have a right to demand their safety until this is sorted. As for the others … we can't scoop up all the families, there are almost two hundred on the books. Let's deal with what we can … hopefully it makes a mistake. It's injured, confused and angry. Let's get this right" Jack said as he slipped his hands into his pockets and watched Ianto stalk off.

He found Ianto in the kitchen staring at the sink. He seemed to be in some sort of shutdown mode and Jack leaned against the counter next to him as he waited for a response, then Ianto slowly swivelled his head and Jack saw the sorrow in the man's face.

"Hey" Jack said softly, "OK there Tiger?"

"Those babies…all those babies. All mine. None mine. Don't know how to feel about it"

"Ah. I've had a few kids ya know … in my time. After Elizabeth died, consumption took her and our three kids…I thought I would never do that again. Love so much that the loss left me empty for years. Years before I felt affection again." Jack leaned against Ianto, letting their heads touch, "Hey. Ok Tiger?"

Ianto sighed and let them touch for a moment then pulled back, "I don't know Jack. I thought Lisa would be the worst thing … now … these babies. How do I fix this? Is this my fault?"

"No. Now Tosh has found some deaths we hadn't detected before, all from the Clinic… it's the Clinic records it's using, not your name … it's killing all children from there."

"What is it? I mean … the database can't tell me, Mainframe can't tell me … what is it Jack?"

"I am not sure. I think you are right about it being from another time or place. It might be a cosmic mistake, dumped by the Rift and the closest it can find to whatever it was hunting is us. Or … something to do with the clinic triggered something."

"Jack, that's bullshit. I call total bullshit!" Ianto huffed, "Tell me."

"They are a form of hunter. They don't stop until they get whatever they are seeking, usually the death of the target is their reward. They feel fulfilled in completing a task." Jack sighed as he saw that there could be not getting out of this one, Ianto was too clued up to blow smoke up his arse, pretty as it is.

"So … one of the children from the Clinic does something, did something or in some alternate universe is responsible for something. It was hunting the target, got zapped here and is still fixated on the target. Killed a few others that are close to what it wants but none of them are the right one. It's not me … it had me and didn't even try to focus on me. I am not a link. It's the Clinic … so … who had a child through the Clinic that could potentially be a risk? I know how alternates work … close but not the same. I think we need to look at a rich family, influential… political? Look at what they believe … push for. This might help us work out if they are a target."

Jack nodded as he watched Ianto sink his teeth into an idea.

He might not be far wrong.


	10. Chapter 10

10

So, here I am thinking I had it sorted. If I could find a child with the potential to be a target at some stage in their life, I might find the next piece of bait. Felt weird that.

Councillor Warring. She had a soft face and kind eyes, I remember her. Dealt with her one day at the Towers. Shit. It's her. I know it is. Yvonne had commented after she left and I was clearing the meeting room table that the woman who had just left would have ruled the world one day, if only she had been born with balls instead of tits.

Her son was mine.

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Ianto didn't know how to deal with what he had found, proven right as well as wrong. It was a file without his name on it, but at the time of his 'donating' and he saw his own eyes in the photo of the little boy. He knew he was his even with the fulse Donor name. Why do that?

He was still alive.

For now.

In the Safe House would they be OK, with all the others. Was he safe? Or in scooping them all up had Ianto put them all in danger? What if this thing killed all of them, like skittles. Christ Almighty, had he just made a bloody meal for this thing?

Jack seemed to know what he was thinking, glancing at him as they drove.

"This is not your fault" Jack said softly, "The latent rift discharge at the scenes tells me it came through the rift at least a week ago. It is not from here, nothing you did set this in motion."

"But it's here now. I mean … did another 'me' do something? Wherever it came from … 'other' me is to blame?"

"A child of yours, a sibling… who can say. Maybe not another you at all, maybe your DNA is just as close as it can find to whatever it is looking for. Why it will probably never find it" Jack clarified, "Ianto … still not your fault. Another Clinic in the other world? Not you or your scent?"

"Wish I could believe that but deep down all I see are those little bodies. Thank the Gods I managed to save Max" Ianto slumped, something unusual for him and Jack sighed, glancing over as Ianto scratched absently at his ankle.

"What's that?"

"It's blood dripped on me. It itches" Ianto huffed, pulling his sock up more then freezing. "Shit. I am asleep aren't I? We have it's blood right here."

"Well done" Jack smiled as he nodded, the blood left at the crime scene not mentioned as he urged Ianto to get back in the game. Ianto stripped off his sodden sock and slid it into a bag, "Tosh might be able to use that to find something in the archives. Owen might find something that hurts it?"

"More likely Unit's. She found another back door the minx" Ianto finally smiled as he spoke and Jack felt another easing of his gut as he watched Ianto sit up straight, calling Tosh to tell her of his thoughts. He had forgiven her.

They got to the house and Jack walked in, Ianto behind him to find a mad house full of screaming kids, Gwen yelling as she held boxes of ice blocks above their heads, another woman trying to catch a half naked child and Andy Davidson was standing with a bag of lollipops handing them out.

A little baby was crying on the floor, Ianto stooping to scoop it up and the noise stopped as it sniffled and lay against his chest with a breathy sigh.

"Thank fuck for that!" a loud voice boomed, "I thought he would never shut up, who managed to … oh my god"

Ianto turned to find a woman walking towards him with another baby in her arms, a nappy in a bag swinging from her wrist. Ianto saw the identical clothing and raised an eyebrow, "Twins? Where is there changing area, he needs his bum done too."

She silently led him there and stood watching as he did the task, crooning softly to the silent baby whose eyes drank him in. Jack followed and watched the woman as she leaned in to look at Ianto intently then she whispered "Fuck me sideways. It is you! The donor."

Ianto glanced at her and grimaced, "Yes. I was a sperm donor."

"Well … thank you" she blustered with obvious confusion, "I mean … thanks. We tried so hard, did everything we could, got the mortgage and went for it when my clock ticked so loud it kept us awake. You were the lowest price, like … more than half others. There were three embryos but… one didn't make it."

"Sorry to hear that" Ianto gently jiggled the baby who patted a little hand on his chest and the woman smiled.

"I can't wait to tell Dave you are here, he won't believe me" she said pulling him back along the hallway as she looked around the room then yelled "DAVE! Look, it's the sperm donor for our kids!"

The place went still as many heads turned an Ianto looked at the sea of faces, especially the little ones. It was a relief to see some had taken after their mothers. If they had all looked like him it would have been far too creepy.

"So they got you too" a man called out, "Christ … is there anyone not crammed in here?"

Jack cleared his throat and looked around the room, "If we can all be seated I will explain what I can."

Ianto was interested to hear what spin he was going to put on this too.


	11. Chapter 11

11

Here I am listening to Jack give a spiel about some serial killer targeting clients of the fertility clinic, the Clinic's records being used to track them down and all I can see are the parentals all looking at their kids then me, putting two and two together.

"And him? Is he a target too?" one finally asked.

I didn't know what to say, where to look. They all knew it was me, somehow it was me and I was twisting as I tried to look unaffected. Jack's hand on the small of my back as he stepped forward was soothing.

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"Mister Jones is part of my team. Why you are under our protection, there are families that he cannot claim a link to and are unprotected and two of those others have already been attacked" Jack said firmly, "This is not something to do with him, it is a weird coincidence that is currently saving your life. If Mister Jones were not an operative under Her Majesty's Contract you would all be unaware and probably some of you dead."

"Nice" Ianto muttered with a roll of his eyes, the place erupting. He raised his hands to soothe the place and called for calm.

"What the Captain is trying to say is that I pulled some strings to get you here, others could not make it. There have been fatalities, nowhere near where we are and if you've not noticed … we are heavily armed and you are all being guarded here" Ianto boomed out, his head held high, "We are doing all we can to stop this mad man and can only ask for your patience in this matter."

"The animal attacks they were talking about on the news, shit. You mean those, right?" a man pushed his way to the front, "it's not an animal? It's a man? Doing that to a little child?"

"Why we are taking every precaution" Jack informed them, "Let's all calm down. You are all lucky to have chosen Ianto as your donor, this is what will save you when others aren't!"

Ianto stepped out and stood in the back yard, his heart pounding as he pondered what Jack had said. Ws it true? Or a lie. He felt sick, physically ill at the thought of being anyway responsibly for the deaths of children. Babies. Gods.

"Ianto?"

He turned to find Gwen there, her face full of concern as she moved to comfort him. "Pet, this isn't your fault. If we hadn't picked it up they might all be gone. Owen earned his chockie bickie there, eh?"

Ianto snorted as he nodded looking at his feet, the bare ankle mocking him. He frowned as he started at it, "Gwen … is that glowing?"

She looked down and in the fading light of the evening the ankle was indeed glowing softly. "How the hell did that happen?"

"It's the Hunter's blood" Ianto looked at her, "It glows in the dark. Gwen … if it's bleeding, it's glowing!"

Soon they were galvanised, setting traps that might cause injury. Everything from jumping-jacks which are a form of landmine to lasers Tosh bashfully said were a prototype. Jack whispering to her they were going to be popular and definitely a future must-have.

Ianto was lagging, his eyelids heavy and Jack saw the fatigue there, "Ianto. You're bruised and beaten. Go take some rest, I will wake you if anything starts, OK? I need you alert for this."

Ianto nodded and headed for the back rooms that were set up for anyone who could possibly sleep in this madness. He kicked off his shoes, pulled off the tie and then placed his cufflinks by the bed. He was nothing if not routine.

He slid into the cold sheets and was pleased he had left his socks on, shivering until he warmed the space. Then he felt something patting the bed and he rolled to find Max standing there with a hopeful look "Mister? I'm cold."

Ianto wordlessly lifted the covers and the little boy's face lit up as he slid in to cuddle against him, Ianto pulling him around to spoon him much like he does one of Rhiannon's when he stays over.

Soon they were both asleep.

Jack stood listening as Toshiko and Kathy Swanson talked, Tosh's face falling as it became obvious that Max didn't have next of kin. Both parentals had been only children, parents of one both dead, the other only had a mother living, in a dementia ward.

Jack started to look for the child and gave up, heading back to check if Ianto had taking some time to sleep like he had hoped. The little one asleep in his arms was a surprise and Jack found himself sitting on the other bed watching them sleep.

What the hell was he going to do now?


	12. Chapter 12

12

I am warm, comfortable and Jack's weight across my back is nice too. This bed it way too small for three of us ya know and…three. I had forgotten about that.

Max.

Poor little guy had cried out in his sleep and I had sung softly until he was asleep, Jack then sliding in behind me to comfort us all. It felt nice, having that warmth. He is like a furnace ya know, I could sleep for days with him cocooning me.

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"Ianto?" Gwen whispered and Ianto's eyes opened immediately, her relief obvious as she sighed, "I thought you might be awake. We are talking about breakfast, I don't … do we order our or what?"

"No … no. A large order might give away the fact we are here. No. I will go to the local store and get some food" Ianto sighed as Jack kissed the back of his neck, then let him go to crawl over the little boy who whimpered and reached or him.

"Hey, I gotta go get some food. You stay here nice and warm and when I get back we will eat, OK?" Ianto crooned, stroking the hair off the little face as the poor little Baban blinked up at him with huge eyes, "It's OK. Jack will look after you love."

Ianto got dressed and headed to the bathroom then found himself stepping to one side as Max pushed in for the toilet bowl too. Maybe his father let him do this as he didn't blink as he peed into the water alongside Ianto then went to wash his hands.

Ianto wandered out and checked the cupboards as the women all talked to him at once, crowding around him like seagulls around a discarded packet of chips, Ianto nodding and making grunting noises as he ignored them.

"Gwen?" he called as he headed out, "Coming with?"

She snatched the credit card from Jack with a wink and ran after Ianto, the plain SUV chosen for stealth. Gwen was excited to have been chosen and she jiggled in her seat as Ianto sat staring right ahead, "Gwen, no belt not go"

"What?"

"Seatbelt"

Gwen laughed as she clipped it on and they started out of the driveway, her instinct to look down the street replicated by Ianto, their eyes scanning restlessly as he drove and as they parked she looked around while he calmly slipped the gun from his ankle holster to the pocket of his jacket.

"Come on missus" he said softly, sliding out and she followed, grabbing the handles of a trolley and Ianto sedately walked around gathering things as she raced back and forth talking animatedly and filling the trolley with things they needed, Ianto quietly removing things they didn't without her even noticing. They looked like a normal married couple. Gods, she was like Jack … a bull in a china shop when it came to shopping. It sort of amused him.

"Ah" Ianto paused and Gwen came to stand next to him, looking at what he was frowning at.

"You think?"

"Don't know how long this will take and seriously … would one ask?" he sighed and she nodded, grabbing several packets of tampons and pads to add to the trolley. Ianto was right, all the essentials. "Every safe house needs a supply, I should have thought about that before now!"

"Don't beat yourself up, you are not perfect. You are not a robot" she scolded then grimaced but he laughed as he glanced at her and shook his head at her gaffe.

They drove back to find Max squashed against the door peering through the frosted glass and his face lit up when Gwen opened the door to show Ianto still unpacking the SUV. The little boy ran past her before she could stop him and as she called out a warning Ianto straightened up and smiled, crouching to catch the child.

It was all so fast, the noise like a freight train bearing down as the thing erupted from the hedgerow and Ianto had mere seconds to react, throwing Max into the back of the SUV and slamming the back down seconds before the thing slammed into it … and him.

Gwen screamed, dropping the groceries and struggling for her gun, Jack racing past already firing as Ianto roared and clung to it like he had before, this time determined to choke it out if nothing else. Jack threw himself on top for extra weight as it snarled and gnashed.

Owen ran over and tried to get some space, plunging a syringe into its leg and it screamed now as it writhed, Owen panting as he pulled a scalpel from his pocket and tore at the thing's leg as well, the site from the syringe tearing as blood flew.

It shook them off and turned for the house, Max hiding in the SUV with his hands over his mouth to hide his cries, watching as at ran for the door.

The boom of the landmine was loud, rocking the SUV as Jack threw himself over the two men with him. Then it howled and took off again on three legs, the fourth dangling injured, the blood splatter all over the yard.

"What the hell was in that syringe!" Jack demanded as he finally got up and Ianto struggled around to open the door and comfort the stricken child.

"Bleach" Owen said as he panted, "Oldie but a goodie."

"Inside!" Jack barked "NOW!"


	13. Chapter 13

13

I can't believe that just happened.

Christ on a Harley … it came out of nowhere, just came at us. Max, poor little max, my heart is pounding so hard that I can hear it in my head, my ears are ringing.

Shit.

I think I am in shock. Owen hurt it, he did that, hurt it. Jack is right, we have to calm down. I need to calm down, Max is scared.

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Ianto was shaking, several women fussing over him as well as one of the men. No, not Andy.

Max clung to him with wide eyes, still silent and Ianto knew it was not a good thing, his own childhood silences hiding shock so he rubbed the little boy's back and sang softly rocking him back and forth.

Heddlu were everywhere but Jack was calmer.

"It will go to ground until dark now" Jack said with authority, more than was real and both men knew that as they shared a look, "We will spend the day preparing and at dusk we will simply follow the blood trial to its lair."

"And if you lose the trail?" one of the men scoffed, "You are gone and we are in danger!"

"We just proved that you are safe, no other family has faced it and lived to tell the tale. Don't you see? It is injured, on the run. We become the hunters now!" Gwen said with her hands on her hips, "Be bloody grateful for a change ya numpties!"

She sat and took Max for a cuddle, letting Ianto have amoment. Jack and Ianto headed to the kitchen and Jack pulled him aside, "You OK?"

"That was close. How did it find us? Did it follow us?" Ianto whispered.

"No… it was here when you pulled up, I think. Max ran out and triggered it. Then he was hidden so it headed for the house. It's not finding what it wants. I am right, there is no defined target, whatever or whoever it seeks … it's not here. Just something close that it recognises" Jack soothed "Come on. Eat and act normal, calm them all and then we go try and get some rest. This will not be a Weevil hunt tonight ya know."

They ate and then headed to the room that seemed to be becoming theirs not surprised that a little boy followed hopefully and as they did the night before, the three of them tried the bed, then Jack cursed, got up and pushed the two beds together, Ianto giggling as he dragged things about and settled again, more room even if Ianto was in the middle.

He didn't complain.

It felt …. Nice.

Several times people came and went, pulling blankets over them or just checking, Gwen kissing the little boy as she tucked him in and Ianto smiled at her with silent gratitude. Then Max started to wriggle and Ianto hugged him gently, "Need to Pee?"

"Yeah"

They repeated the ritual urinating, Ianto smiling softly as the little boy again washed his hands carefully and headed out to see the other children. It was like a school room, children all listening as a mother told a story and Ianto knew that wouldn't last. Can't control the sea ya know.

Ianto accepted food he wouldn't eat, watching the little ones for a while as he let himself accept that they were his … but not his. Weird, like a parallel universe or something. He turned to Jack whohad settled next to him and whispered, "We need to get ready before dusk. I want to be outside, this place in total lockdown with weapons drawn inside. It might circle around us … he was right about that."

"Agreed."

"Can we do this?"

"Ianto, look at me. This is what we do" Jack took Ianto's shoulders and shook him gently then kissed him, taking a moment to give and take some comfort, "We will be victorious, cut it's fucking head off and Owen will try to wear it like a meat helmet while bemoaning the smell!"

Ianto snorted with mirth at the image Jack had offered, nodding as he rubbed at his face, "Yeah. Yeah. Meat Helmet. Got it."

They showered with surgical soap, trying to mask their smells at much as possible, washing their hair and then agreeing not to use deodorant or product. Ianto did not shave, looking more like a rogue than ever with his hair fluffing as he dried it with a towel.

"Damn it" he muttered as he glared at the mirror, "I look like a tramp."

"A sexy, fuckable tramp" Jack hissed as he pinched his butt and Ianto squeaked, then laughed softly.

They changed their clothing to some black threads, Ianto looking lithe and sexy as he always did in Hunting Mode, more than one mother making a small noise as he stalked from the back room with his hair no longer slicked back but flopping loosely.

He looked older, wiser and definitely more of a killer.

He was ready.


	14. Chapter 14

14

I was terrified.

Wasn't ready for this, how the hell do you get ready for something like this?

I don't know how Jack can be so calm, I guess it's something a soldier learns but I was never supposed to be one … I wanted to be a farmer. Some sheep, goats or even chickens. Yeah. I could do chickens!

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"Ianto?" Jack said, pulling Ianto back to the present, "Penny for them?"

"Chickens"

"Yum" Jack grinned.

Ianto smiled as he let his dream of chickens go, settling back in the seat to slide a blade into his ankle holster behind the gun.

"Nice" Jack said as he watched, "I didn't know you had that."

"Since blades pierce it's flesh I decided it was a good idea. Bullets just seem to piss it off" Ianto nodded, "The bleach syringe did seem to hurt it too though."

"Yeah, go Owen" Jack grinned, "But it would have eaten him alive if you were not choking it out."

"He did look pretty cool, just needed a little cape!"

Right, let's see here. Look at that intersection, is that a splash?" Jack asked, the SUV now following the trail as Toshiko monitored through the onboard cameras.

"Boys … go to the left. Down the alleyway you just passed, I saw a splash on the bins" she said and Jack slammed on the brakes, then slammed it into reverse, screaming back to slam to a halt again, Ianto hitting his seat with a grunt. Ianto silently swivelled his head to glare at Jack.

"Sorry" Jack grimaced as Ianto rubbed the back of his head where it had connected with the headrest.

"Calm down Jack, the blood will not run away. Honest" Ianto said slowly as Tosh giggled over the coms. "Come on, I know you wanna go first."

Jack grinned as he waggled his eyebrows, "Oh come on Ianto … I don't mind going in behind."

"You said this was not like a Weevil hunt!" Ianto accused as he pointed at him and Jack was pleased to see Ianto getting his head in the game, the banter between them the usual way to soothe the nerves as they waited for the inevitable boom. He was forgiving him? He knew there had to be a conversation still bit it might be easier now Ianto was ready to listen.

"Bring on the boom" Ianto whispered as if reading Jack's mind, the splash of luminescent blood smeared up a brick wall and into a dark building making them both crane their heads.

"Well .. at least it's not a bloody warehouse" Jack quipped as he leapt onto some bins and vaulted over the wall, Ianto rolling his eyes as he looked for a spot that did not cover him in glowing shit.

"No, not a warehouse. Even better. A haunted house" Ianto droned, "Joy. Oh, such excitement I might shit me dacks!"

Ianto Jones … you said shit!" Jack gasped, hand to heart, "You are getting such a potty mouth these days, and with those poor children exposed to you. Well I never."

Ianto snorted with amusement as he brushed down his clothing and motioned with his gun, "Go on then big boy!"

"Oooooo, Big Boy. I like that, might get a t-shirt made… or a hat. Ianto? How would I look with a hat?" Jack winked then fell silent as Ianto made a sound in his throat and changed his stance. Leaning down to examine a pool of the blood by his feet.

"Jack, this is still warm" Ianto hissed as he touched the pool of blood, "It's here."

"Shit" Jack breathed as he looked up at the rafters, "Look up. They always drop on you like fucking spiders or…"

Ianto was firing, dropping to a knee as he aimed for the glowing eyes, the creature coming low and fast. It didn't break stride as Ianto dropped the spent gun to remove his knife. Jack roared as he launched himself at the thing, hoping his death might slow it down and he knew his body weight even in death might be cumbersome to it, really just hoping to give Ianto a chance and Ianto landing in his back was a surprise. Of course he understood what Jack was doing, crushing the creature with both their weight, the knife flashing again and again. Ianto stabbed and screamed like that scene from psycho.

Finally there was silence as they panted and tried to calm down, then Ianto hissed, "Is it dead?"

It struggled some more, Ianto stabbed some more and Jack started laughing hysterically while holding on, the pain threshold breached as he felt his body failing. Ianto rolled off and lay panting at the ceiling, spent and fucked. Well fucked. He looked over at the creature who was in it's death throes and he sighed, rising unsteadily to drag Jack's body off it and settle him into a better position where he held him and rocked gently.

Jack came back with a soft gasp, not the roaring kind he used to have but a soft sound of surprise that Ianto always smiled at.

"Hey"

"Hey" Jack croaked back, sitting up and looking at the creature, "Is it dead?"

"No"

"Sorry, do you forgive me?"

"Dirty pool old man!" Ianto frowned, then nodded.

They rose and walked over to watch the thing twitch and Jack frowned, "well … that blade won't do it."

Ianto nodded, "I will get the SUV, bring it around and we can use the surgical saw?"

"Now you are talking" Jack smiled.

Owen might get a meat helmet yet.


	15. Chapter 15

15

I felt a weird morbid curiosity as I watched Jack cut its head off. The sound of the saw was eerie, but the crunching as he broke its neck to sever the head completely was like gravel being walked on.

I was tired, I was hurting and I was worried about little Max bit damn if I wasn't relieved. Of course, that's when I got an idea and had to voice it.

"Jack?"

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Jack looked up at Ianto with open surprise, "Huh?"

"Jack … do these things travel alone? I mean ... they don't have a mate or partner with them or anything, right?" Ianto asked and Jack felt his gut twist as he dropped the head to look around.

"Jack?" Ianto didn't like that response one little bit. No sir.

"Um … honestly? I don't know Tiger" Jack finally said, "I am assuming it was alone. We've only seen one."

"No … we've only seen one at a time. Let's check it's leg … is Owen's damage there?" Ianto demanded and Jack fell to his knees, both men searching the flesh for any sign of damage.

"Shit" Ianto rose and rubbed his hands on his pants, "Is there another? Was this a ruse? All this time is another one attacking them? Killing them without us there to help?"

They tried the coms but there was no answer, probably too far from Tosh's portable Hub. Ianto was starting to panic and Jack pulled him close, "Stop it. Hey! Stop it. Let's use the scalpel to cut the fur back, come on."

Ianto was shaking as he tried and Jack reached out to take the scalpel, burning back the fur to find scaring. "Shit, look at that. Healed to a scar already"

"Same wounds" Ianto slumped back with relief, "Same one. Shit. One. Yeah? One?"

"I am sure of it" Jack said with more confidence than he felt, "Come on. I wanna go tell them it's done."

"Cariad" Ianto whispered softly, "Thank you."

"Come on" Jack rose; pleased to hear an endearment and they laboriously loaded the creature, Ianto placing its head in a containment box for Owen.

Max was waiting, his face lighting up as he saw them then it fell as he watched Ianto limp towards him "Are you OK?"

"Wrestled a bear" Ianto said as he stopped and smiled down at him.

"A bear?"

"Slayed a dragon" Ianto nodded.

"Yeah?" Max canted his head much like Ianto does.

"Yep!" Ianto topped the P and the boy's eyes widened, "I just fought off a pack of wolves."

Max's face changed as he frowned, "Really? How many?"

"Twenty?" Ianto turned to Jack, "Sir? Twenty wolves? Or thirty? I lost count with me sword swinging."

"Too busy with my bow and arrows sorry love" Jack said calmly as he walked past and Max's laughter followed him inside. He found Gwen waiting anxiously.

"Does that mean it's done with?" she asked, "What if there is another one?"

"Ianto asked the same thing, we checked the body and it is the same one we fought in the apartment. If there were another it would have been at the lair. We found dead animals and a couple of Weevil bodies too" Jack assured her.

"What was that? Weevil?" Owen pushed past Gwen, now annoyed.

"Ianto has something for you in a containment box" Jack winked, letting the little man race out to the SUV with glee.

Jack went in and told them all, the clapping and cheering a bit …. Childish but whatever. Heddlu were left to clean this mess up, Jack walking back to motion his team into the vehicles, "Come on. Move out"

Ianto slid into the passenger seat and Jack started for the Hub, pondering if there was any food in the fridge, "Ianto, do we have anything for a snack? I could eat a Weevil."

"I have pizza!"

Jack tried not to panic as the little voce chimed in and he looked in the rear-view mirror at Max who was safely strapped in with a pizza box on his lap and a hopeful smile.

"Ianto? Is that a stowaway? Or guest?"

"Um … a new team member?" Ianto tried, "Like … for picking things up of the floor?"

Jack looked over at Ianto who was looking straight ahead, no sign of the fear he must be feeling with this blatant snatch and grab of a child.

"Ianto?"

"No next of kin, into the care system. I can claim him ... I am his natural father" Ianto said and Jack watched Max tilt his head as he listened. Cat out of bag? Or is that a Tiger?

"What about one of the other families?"

"All that Retcon … you think I could keep a new kid in the mix?" Ianto sighed, "No. I will not let him go into that system. Not if I can help it. Maybe Rhiannon will take him in or ... or … I will think of something."

Jack looked at the child in the mirror again, the little face full of hope and sighed.

"We"

"Sir?"

" WE will think of something. We will work it out. OK?"


	16. Chapter 16

16

I am hopeful … quietly so but still … hopeful.

Jack seems to be truthful in his actions, Max currently snuggled in the Bunker in Jack's cot as Jack sits with him until he is asleep. Little fella thinks it is all a big cool game … Myfanwy luckily out hunting, I don't think the little fella could take another surprise tonight.

I am sitting here with a coffee and a plate of biscuits as I wait for Jack to come back from settling Max. It's all so … domestic. But can we do this? Can we just pick up a fully grown little boy and start a family like it is no big deal?

What if Jack suddenly gets cold feet? I am already invested in this little guy, already thinking of a bigger apartment, a way to keep him for myself. I want that.

I want him.

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Jack watched Ianto clasp the cup, looking into it and knew this was going to be a conversation he didn't really want but deep down… sort of craved.

"Right. I think we need to talk about some changes" Jack settled and watched Ianto's eyes lift to look at him with instant distrust. It sort of hurt but Jack knew why. Ianto knew him, knew his ability to throw things away if they were too hard. Was probably checking the Retcon levels later.

Ianto nodded.

"Max. You want to keep him, I get that but … we need to see if that would work. We would need to …"

"I have some houses here to look at" Gwen said as she strode from the other end of the Hub, startling Jack, "I had no idea we have so many safe houses. Really. There are six within the range of the school and here as it is. He can have a back yard … see?"

Jack accepted the printouts and glanced at Ianto who was accepting some as well, the cup of coffee pushed to the table, "Six?"

"Several rooms, child friendly area and look, playground here." She said as she sat and picked up the cup.

"Also, lower crime rates and I can monitor it easily. I've checked the CCTV in the area, four of those six are already fully visible without me having to use more tech, just internal systems to be added" Tosh added from her own workstation, Jack swinging to gape at her as well, then grin as he saw that Max was being chosen by all of them. This would make it easier, right? No one would feel like Ianto was getting special treatment … not if they…where's Owen?

Jack looked around with confusion then froze as Owen danced into the Hub, the thing's head on his own like a mask making stupid noises.

"Nice" Ianto droned "like a baboon … please don't flash your arse for extra attention, Jack's is prettier."

"Thank you" Jack preened happily.

"So!" Owen pulled the head off and sat, his hair net making them all stare, then he remembered and pulled it off, ruffling his hair with annoyance.

"Yes old Mother Brown … So" Ianto said calmly as everyone else giggled.

"We're keeping him right? I mean ... can you even get suits that small?"

Ianto went to retort but saw Jack's face, seeing the delight in the thought and he realised he was gaining a lot more than he thought he ever would. "Jack? You and me gonna … you know. Try this? Date? See if we can sort of ... become a couple? Eventually a family? Do the house, the kid…maybe a dog?"

"Yeah, date and see where it goes?" Jack finally nodded, "I would like to try a lot of things with you, parenthood will be a challenge with our different styles but what the hell … our kid will be amazeballs!"

"Still not a word" Ianto blinked slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is" Owen agreed with Jack, "Totes Amazeballs!"

"Goddess Save!" Ianto flopped back as Jack laughed and looked around at his team. His family, and he knew the next stage of his life would be different. Better this time. Ianto was not Luciana and although Max would never be little Melissa … he would not grow to be a spiteful Alice either.

This time .. it might work.

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So ends this one … we will see when I get a sequel out ... no promises guys. I have SOOOO many actives right now that need attention as well.


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